19th annual Spotlight Awards nominees announced

Thursday

Feb 28, 2013 at 2:00 AMFeb 28, 2013 at 11:47 AM

Nineteen years! It's been 19 years since Spotlight held its first awards ceremony, and its heart is beating stronger and louder than ever. This is our opportunity to honor those chefs, thespians, artists and musicians that make our Seacoast one hot place to work, live, or hang out. Our peer jury members are still hashing out their winners from the list of nominees they culled together. And, once again, the public will have their say in each category (those are the awards below with the red check marks next to them).

Nineteen years! It's been 19 years since Spotlight held its first awards ceremony, and its heart is beating stronger and louder than ever. This is our opportunity to honor those chefs, thespians, artists and musicians that make our Seacoast one hot place to work, live, or hang out. Our peer jury members are still hashing out their winners from the list of nominees they culled together. And, once again, the public will have their say in each category (those are the awards below with the red check marks next to them).

This year's awards will include visual arts, with a jury headed up by Kim Ferreira, former owner of Three Graces Gallery; theater, with a jury spearheaded by Spotlight Theater Reviewer Jeanné McCartin; music with Spotlight Music Reviewer Christopher Hislop and Portsmouth Music and Arts Center mastermind Russ Grazier serving as co-chairs; and Seacoast Media Group Food Writer Rachel Forrest once again leads the Best Chef jury in the food category.

Here's the fun part. Help us spread the word. Congratulate the nominees and please visit Seacoastonline.com/spotlightvote2013 any time before 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 to cast your vote for Favorite Play, Favorite Musical, Favorite Visual Artist (functional art category); Favorite Musician or Band and Favorite Chef.

Stay in the loop for all things Spotlight related by 'liking' our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/spotlightmagazineportsmouth.

And, most importantly, save the date of Thursday, April 18 for the 19th annual Spotlight Awards slated for 7 p.m. at the historic MusicHall!

— J.L. Stevens

Spotlight Editor

Meet the jury:

Rachel Forrest, food writer and restaurant critic, the Portsmouth Herald as well as magazines and co-author of Maine Classics: 150 Delicious Recipes from Downeast with Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier, Arrows Restaurant.Ali Goodwin, food writer and photographer and former restaurant owner.Kathy Gunst, food writer and resident chef on NPR's Here and Now. Author of the Stonewall Kitchen cookbooks.Chef Ben Hasty, When Pigs Fly and last year's Judge's and People's Choice Winner.Jean Kerr, publisher of Northeast Flavor Magazine and cookbook author.Denise Landis, food writer and recipe tester for the New York Times and author of Dinner For Eight.Susan Tuveson, chef, food writer and owner of Acorn Kitchen in Kittery, Maine, a multipurpose, fully licensed community culinary rental facility for creating and packaging food products for sale, conducting hands-on cooking classes, recipe development and testing, food styling photography, webcast and television production.

People's Choice — Favorite Chef

People's choice — nominees for Favorite Chef of 2012. The public will vote for the winner at Seacoastonline.com/spotlightvote2013

Jay Boucher, Music lover and former promoter, former band manger, social media guru; proud. Kris Cecere-Spagnuolo Bowden: Works at WXGR, music lover and promoter, proud mother. Mairead Dunphy: Managing arts editor at the University of New Hampshire student newspaper, The New Hampshire, blogger; music lover; proud student. Russ Grazier: Founder and director of Portsmouth Music and Arts Center (PMAC), music lover, proud father. Nate Hastings: Music lover, band manager, suit wearer, philosopher, creator of Music Mentors series at UNH, proud. Chris Hislop, Seacoast Media Group music writer, music lover and promoter, proud father. Tristan Law, Music lover and promoter, bar manager at the Press Room, not yet a proud father, but real close. Bruce Pingree, General manager at the Press Room, DJ on WUNH, board member at Portsmouth Community Radio WSCA, music lover, proud 'father.' Nicole St. Laurent: Volunteer at Portsmouth Community Radio WSCA, trumpeter who takes lessons via skype from fellow trumpeter Chris Elliott; proud. Denise Wheeler, Founder of Spotlight magazine, music lover, proud mother.

People's Choice —

Favorite Musician or Band

People's choice — nominees for Favorite Musician or Band of 2012. The public will vote for the winner at Seacoastonline.com/spotlightvote2013

All Good :: Feel Good Collective - Don't Shoot the Messenger bcap - The Live Mixtape (vol. 1) Jose Duque's Reload - The Fragility of Hope Gnarlemagne - A Warm and Cozy Volcano Mainella - Future Flight Cormac McCarthy - Collateral Eric & the Anxiety - Girl Cal Powers - Get a Room Andrea Szirbik - Who I Am Joe Young - We Will Never be the Same

Song of the Year

Justin Carloni - This House is Gone The Connection - Seven Nights of Rock Ryan Flaherty - Ecstacy Gnarlemagne — Rain Mighty Sam McClain - Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) Eric & the Anxiety - Another Song Andrea Szirbik - Who I Am Gretchen and the Pickpockets — No Good Betty Nico - Alone Tonight Joe Young - Build You a Home

Peggi McCarthy, a founding member of Generic Theater, is an actress, producer, director and writer. (Editor's Note: McCarthy was a juror for musicals only). Jeanné McCartin is an arts feature writer with more than 14 years as a theater reviewer, costume designer and former performer. Jessica Michaud is a stage manager, technician, occasional actress and a producer for both theater and film. Joel Plagenz is an avid follower of Seacoast theater who has frequented all Seacoast venues since moving to the area in 2004, as a member, subscriber and volunteer. Robert Squier is a professional illustrator and graphic designer who has attended local theater for a decade, and regional, profession and community theater for 25 years.

The theater jury lost four official jurors this season due to personal issues, conflict or a request to remain anonymous. A few completed their required percent of viewings. They and 24 theater professionals, both from within house and at-large, were asked to vote in each category. These auxiliary voters were given strong consideration, often altering selections, but they did not attend final nomination meetings or make final selections.

People's Choice — Favorite Play

People's choice — nominees for Favorite Play of 2012. The public will vote for the winner at Seacoastonline.com/spotlightvote2013

M. Christine Dwyer (Chris) is a local business owner and Portsmouth city councilor with a long standing interest in the arts; she is the incoming president of the Board of the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester. Kim Ferreira is an artist and owned Three Graces Gallery for nine years. John Gayle is the co-founder of 3S Artspace in Portsmouth, NH and brings with him more than 20 years experience in various creative fields. Jamie LaFleur opened The Banks Gallery in 2004 and has been dedicated to promoting and representing regional artists during the past nine years. Al Mead is one of the founders of the aptly-named "Buoy," which keeps experimental and conceptual music and art afloat in Kittery, Maine. Adam Pearson is the president of the non-profit visual and literary arts group Art Esprit based in Rochester. Douglas Prince has been engaged in photography for the last 50 years, both as a teacher and as a picture maker. Deb Thompson owns Nahcotta Gallery in Portsmouth and serves on the board of 3S Artspace.

People's Choice — Functional Art

People's choice — nominees for Favorite Visual Artist, Functional Art Category for 2012. The public will vote for the winner at Seacoastonline.com/spotlightvote.

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